Cow Camp Care Package

With our allotment rider putting in long days to ensure our cattle are cared for, the least we could do is send a care package as thanks. Here are a few items we like to include.

In a few short days, we will start gathering our BLM (Bureau of Land Management) permit, a mere 60,000 acres, and start our cattle on The Drift towards summer pastures. If you have read my blog before, you know a bit about this historic cattle drive. For those of us on the southern end, Wardell and Murdock, our cattle drive is about 80 miles total including our BLM permit (Yellow Point to Gypsum Creek near Green River Lakes). Once up to the mountains, our association rider will tend to the cattle moving them frequently from sensitive areas, away from threats like bears and wolves, ensure herd health, track livestock kills and keep in touch with us throughout the summer. It's a big job and as a pre-season thanks here are a few things we will send her way this year.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have to admit that I cheated a bit on this one. I used the premade mix from Betty Crocker that you can find in the baking aisle. All you need is one egg and one stick of butter to complete the dough. This time, I added a splash of vanilla and almond extract for some added flavor which I love. Normally I make cookies from scratch and add a few more goodies into them like molasses and rolled oats, but like I said we are busy and I didn't have as much time to dedicate as I would like.

Sourdough Bread

My Aunt Nicole game me some sourdough starter several weeks ago and since then I've made pancakes and now bread. For the pancakes, I also take a quick shortcut and add the starter to Krusteez pancake mix and they turn out really good.

For the bread, I am using The Prairie Homestead's recipe from her post, "The Best Beginner sourdough Bread Recipe." As we speak, the bread is rising so wish me luck!

Homemade Spiced Peach Jam

This recipe came from our late neighbor Annie Olsen and it is by far the easiest jam I've made. I should note that I haven't made many batches but if a beginner like me can make a delicious spread like this, you can too!

Spiced Peach Jam

4 Cups crushed peaches (Approx. 7 or 8)

1/2 Tsp ground cloves, cinnamon, and allspice

1 Box powdered pectin

5 Cups sugar

Put peeled and pitted peaches in a bowl and crush fine (a potato masher works well). Measure and put into 6-quart kettle.

Add spices and pectin to fruit, mix, and place over high heat. Stir until mixture comes to a full rolling boil and boil for one minute stirring constantly. Take from heat and skim off foam. Pour in clean, hot jars and seal with sax or self-sealing lids. Let cool completely and enjoy.

Ranch Raised Beef - Hamburger and steaks

Nothing too fancy here but our own ranch-raised beef. Now, this steer wasn't from our commercial herd but he still finished well. Being a Jersey/Angus cross he looked like a Holstine and we knew there wouldn't be much interest at the sale barn for him, so we fattened him up on grain for about 30-40 days and had him processed. Surprisingly he had good marbling in the mead and flavor - hopefully our rider will enjoy him as much as we have.

Other Miscellaneous Items

My Mom also included soap, lotion, and other items that we thought our allotment rider would like since many of the things they need are brought in. Plus, sometimes a treat at the end of a long day is just what a person needs.

Here's to a successful summer on our allotment and with any luck a healthy one!